Freethought Complimentary Copy Today Join FFRF Now! Vol. 28 No. 3 Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. April 2011 FFRF chapter members come ‘Out of the Closet’ North Carolina gets non-religion A dozen eye-catching billboards are blanketing Raleigh, N.C., and dispel- ling myths about atheists and agnostics in FFRF’s exciting “Out of the Closet” friendly faces of local nonbelievers and campaign with its chapter, the Triangle their freethought “testimonies.” The Third National Day of Prayer suit filed Freethought Society. billboards are creating quite a stir, with The Foundation, a state/church lots of media coverage. watchdog based in Madison, Wis., is “I’m saved . from religion!” an- also the nation’s largest association of nounces Curtis Clayton, of Raleigh, Arizona Day of atheists and agnostics with more than identified as a “truck driver and athe- 16,500 members, including about 350 ist” on the billboard. in North Carolina. Colette and Sophia Winkler, two Motorists in Raleigh, Pittsboro, pretty teenage sisters from Orange Durham and Smithfield are whizzing County, smile and hug against a purple Prayer challenged past colorful billboards bearing the backdrop and say, “We put all our faith in science.” Colette says she was ha- rassed in elementary school by another If the Freedom From Religion in a case argued by attorney Richard student over evolution. Foundation has its way, Arizona Gov. L. Bolton. U.S. District Judge Barbara Inside This Issue A bright yellow billboard proclaims Janice K. Brewer will be ordered by a Crabb of Wisconsin declared the Na- “Another happy humanist family” and court to refrain from issuing her usu- tional Day of Prayer unconstitutional: Joan’s good features big smiles from “Allison, Da- al Arizona Day of Prayer on the first “In this instance, the government vid & Kids” of Chapel Hill. A billboard Thursday of May. FFRF and four of its has taken sides on a matter that must without god featuring the Zepp family — father, Arizona members filed a lawsuit in fed- be left to individual conscience. When Page 2 mother and toddler — identifies them eral court March 15 seeking to enjoin the government associates one set as “Raleigh Secular Humanists” and Brewer from issuing a prayerful pro- of religious beliefs with the state and says, “This is what a secular family looks clamation in conjunction with the Na- identifies nonadherents as outsiders, it like!” tional Day of Prayer. encroaches upon the individual’s deci- FFRF debuted the “Out of the FFRF asks the court to find Gov. sion about whether and how to wor- Closet” campaign in Madison last fall. Brewer in violation of the Establish- ship.” Raleigh is the second stop for the na- ment Clause of the First Amendment Continued on page 3 FFRF appeals tional campaign which introduces, one to the U.S. Constitution for declaring godly pledge region at a time, local “friendly neigh- last year’s “Arizona Day of Prayer” on to SCOTUS borhood atheists and agnostics and May 6. Not only did Brewer call for Page 5 skeptics” to their neighbors. an Arizona Day of Prayer in 2009 and “It worked for the gay rights move- 2010, but she even called for a Day of ment. It’s time for atheists and agnos- Prayer for the budget on Jan. 17, 2010. tics to come out of our closet,” said An- Jokes Richard Morris, one of two attor- Freethinking nie Laurie Gaylor, who co-directs FFRF neys filing the case on FFRF’s behalf: with Dan Barker. “And, as we know, nothing fails like Filipino “Many faces make enlightenment prayer.” Page 14 work. We know many people in North The lawsuit is FFRF’s third legal Carolina have never knowingly met an challenge related to the National Day atheist or unbeliever, much less some- of Prayer. one who is proud to advertise their FFRF won its landmark federal Katie got debaptized and you can too! Continued on page 23 court ruling in FFRF v. Obama last year See story on page 3. Page 2 Freethought Today Madison, Wisconsin April 2011 © Don Addis. All rights reserved. Addis. © Don Meet a Member Good without god in New York City These are a few of my favorite things: Humor, honesty and balance. Dealing with shades of gray, even when you desperately crave black or white. The idea that everything evolves (even religions). The Internet for making facts and ideas universally accessible. Reproductive choice through medical science, whether it be preventing un- wanted children or fostering desired ones. Extraordinary human accom- plishments, whether they’re up for Oscars or Grammys or Tonys or Nobels or Pulitzers (but not sainthood). And random acts of kindness. These are not: People who simul- FFRF welcomes taneously advocate both the Golden Rule and wiping out whole chunks of 11 new ‘Lifers’ humankind. People who value faith over fact. People who lie and people The Freedom From Religion Foun- who promote lies, especially those who dation is pleased to welcome 11 new know they are lying and those who Lifetime Members to its nonprophet don’t bother to reflect on what they ranks. They are: Joan Reisman “surfs” during a family pilgrimage to a Florida theme park. believe. Arguments for the present and RW Brennian, Karl Butcher, Karen future that are stuck on the past, such Griffin, Frank Hribar, Bryan Merry- Name: Joan Reisman. kindred souls and goals. as who was there first or who dealt the man (gift from Dave Kinsey), Paul Where I live: New York, N.Y. Where I’m headed: Finding my first blow thousands of years ago, or Morsey, Stephanie Ragusky, Chris Reis- Where and when I was born: Mor- path to demonstrate that people can what was written in some ancient docu- chl, Richard Rockwell, Dawn Thom ristown, N.J., when role models were be good without god, whether it’s pro- ment. and Teri Tracey. Ozzie (Nelson, not Osbourne), The ducing two terrific kids who think for My doubts about religion started: States represented are Arizona, Col- Beaver and the original Mouseketeers, themselves, cultivating parks and gar- When my nominally Jewish family orado, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, and when father knew best. dens around New York City or writing had no interest in the stuff I was be- Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vir- Education: I started as a religion funny essays about serious topics. ing forced to learn in Sunday school. ginia, Washington and Wisconsin. major at Smith College but transferred Person in history I admire: People When I noticed that every version of Lifetime Memberships of $1,000 after my freshman year to a school throughout the ages who have stood the Ten Commandments was different, designated for membership or renewal that didn’t offer a major in religion. I up for what’s real and just, especially that some of the ten weren’t command- go into FFRF’s rainy day (safe) endow- ended up with a B.A. in English litera- those who discovered new truths and ments at all, and that “Thou shalt not ment, with interest spent on FFRF proj- ture from the University of Chicago, an championed unpopular ones, despite kill” seemed to carry as much weight ects, and mean never another renewal M.A. in English lit from the University personal risk. Right now my heroes in- as “Honor the Sabbath,” even though notice! Like all dues and donations to of Michigan and an M.B.A. in market- clude Julia Sweeney, Ricky Gervais, Jon hardly anyone I knew actually did. FFRF, they are much appreciated by ing and management from New York Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who are When I was required to read Hebrew FFRF and are deductible for income University. shining light on uninformed insanity words but not understand them. When tax purposes. Occupation: Former editor, science with well-informed comedy. the more I learned about religions, the FFRF sends warmest thanks to Teri, writer and pharmaceutical public rela- Quotations I like: In my high school less I admired. When people pushed Dawn, Richard, Chris, Stephanie, Paul, tions/marketing consultant. One of yearbook, my favorite quote was “I me to embrace religion, propelling me Bryan, Frank, Karen, Karl and RW! my assignments was the press kit for Vi- think, therefore I am” (Descartes). to push back until I soared into an en- agra, which helped make erectile dys- Since then it’s been “No matter where tirely different orbit. function a household phrase. you go, there you are” (first encoun- Why I’m a freethinker: Because I’m I now focus on helping my family tered in the movie “Buckaroo Bonzai” a thinker. What I don’t understand is Correction (my husband and two “tweens”) and and then “Mad Max Beyond Thunder- why everyone isn’t a freethinker, es- Cenk Uygur’s Emperor Has No myself decide what we want to be when dome”). pecially in America, where we have so Clothes Award acceptance speech we grow up. It turns out my brother (who also much information and freedom to be [March11] should have stated that Ja- How I got where I am today: Where I rejected our religion) also favors rational. cob, not Abraham, “had sex with his am today is putting together this “Meet that quote, but he got it from yet an- Ways I promote freethought: Trite wife, her sister, his maid and his sister’s a Member” piece, which I assure you is other movie source. It is also attrib- as it sounds, I’m trying to figure out maid.” The bible recounts that Jacob not as easy as it looks! This came about uted to Confucius.